Thagnor was a Grefftscharr vassal only in name. Prince Varrack was the latest in a series of pirate princes who ruled at their own whim, rather than the dictates of the Grefftscharrer kings. Thagnor controlled the passage between the Sea of Hassfryth (Lake Huron) and the Aesklos Sea (Lake Erie). Thagnor owned the salt mines of Thagnor City and claimed suzerainty over Gytha Town (Windsor, Ontario). Thagnor was notorious for its undisciplined politics, to put it mildly. It owned southeastern Michigan up to Fyttandlan Bay (Saginaw Bay) to the border with Zykthos, which was between the City of Karphya (Alpena) and Thagnor.
The Princedom of Zykthos was semi-independent, being claimed by Vulthar, Thagnor, and on alternate Thursdays by King Theovacar, and played off all three against each other. Politics in the Princedom of Zykthos were almost as interesting as those of Thaphigos of Hos-Harphax.
The Princedom of Greffa was the home of Greffa City (Chicago), the capital city of the Kingdom of Grefftscharr. Greffa was sometimes called Neu-Greffa. The Kings of Grefftscharr were always Princes of Greffa first. Greffa controlled the southern end of the Sea of Galfryth (Lake Michigan), the portage from the Chicago River to the Illinois River. It also controlled the Kankakee River and by treaty with Morthron the Erkfryn River (Maumee River).
The Princedom of Lyros (Wabash Valley) was claimed by Theovacar's great-great grandfather, but Dorg objected that they owned the Lyr River (Wabash River), so as a compromise no Grefftscharri prince was ever crowned. While there was no Lyrosi Prince, the Prince of Greffa was responsible for maintaining navigation on the Lyr up to Namtym Town (Lafayette, Indiana) and also for the land routes (too long to be considered portages) from the various tributaries of the Sultz River (Illinois River) to the Lyr and from the Lyr to the Erkfryn River.
After awhile his eyes started to burn and Kalvan decided he'd spent enough time staring at maps. He tugged the bell pull again.
Cleon came in a few moments later with another cup of hot tea.
"Thank you. Any word on Trader Tortha, yet?"
"He should be here shortly, Your Majesty. I just got word from the stable that his horse is being watered and fed."
"Bring him in the moment he arrives," Kalvan ordered.
"Yes, Sire."
A few minutes later, an out-of-breath Trader Tortha, wearing a wine-colored robe trimmed in ermine fur, entered the private audience chamber. "Your Majesty."
Kalvan rose and clasped his arm tightly. "It's good to see you again!"
"You, too, Your Majesty. I came as quickly as I could, given the three flights of stairs I had to climb! It's a good thing I'm in good shape, or I am now, after that journey over sea and swamp!"
They both laughed. "How are things with King Theovacar? Is there any chance he will give my people a refuge?"
Tortha's face took on a grim cast. "I fear things are even worse than we expected. Theovacar is a very careful bargainer, and does not want to allow any potential competitor into his trading camps."
That was bad news, but not unexpected. Kalvan realized Hostigi mass migration was somewhat equivalent to Gulliver's situation in Lilliput: the Hostigi were too big for any one, two and/or three opponents, but unable to take on all the Lilliputians at once, which was the military/ political situation in the Upper Middle Kingdoms. The Moors had faced the same problem after the Reconquista, when the Spanish evicted them from Andalusia and the other Spanish provinces. Most had moved into North Africa where they found refuge. Had it been possible to transport the Moors by ship into Sicily and then Italy, they might have faced the problems Kalvan and the Hostigi were facing now.
"I'm not surprised, but I was hoping for a peaceful settlement, maybe working out a deal where we handled one of King Theovacar's long standing problems, such as moving into Thagnor and eliminating his problems with Prince Varrack once and for all. In that manner, all would benefit; we would gain a temporary home and Theovacar would lose a political liability while gaining a newfound ally."
"I know, Sire. I wasn't even able to broach the subject. The King treated me like one of Styphon's minions. While Theovacar has a reputation for being an ambitious man, I've never heard any man call him friendly."
"I haven't either. Verkan's opinion was rather restrained."
"Of course, Your Majesty. Verkan was a Greffan subject and knows that Theovacar has a long memory and even shorter patience for those subjects who do not curry his favor. Also, I suspect Theovacar was aware that Verkan was also selling covertures in Hos-Hostigos for merchants and nobles who believed that Theovacar no longer held them or their families in favor. Verkan was hoeing a very straight row at the edge of Theovacar's cabbage patch."
"Yes, Verkan mentioned that he was selling properties, but I just thought they were summer estates, not hideaways."
"No, they were for wealthy Greffans not in the King's favor. He also had some estates available in Dorg for those who felt uncomfortable in leaving their homeland or learning a new language. I met with several of those who'd purchased Hostigos covertures before I left Greffa, but no one-not even Verkan-can predict where Thanor's next bolt will strike, as I explained to them."Tortha shrugged his shoulders, indicating the gods would do as they willed. "They lost gold and were unhappy, but we traders face that every time we begin a new enterprise-I remember one time in Wulfula-"
Before Tortha could begin one of his interminable trading yarns, Kalvan interrupted. "Things have gotten worse since you left, Tortha. Our refugee problem has grown even worse, because of this Dralm-cursed Investigation. We're going to be running out of food long before winter arrives. The only good news is that Styphon's Grand Host is still stalled outside Hostigos Town. According to one of our intelligencers, it appears that Sesklos died about a moon ago. Styphon's House policy demands that all thirty-six Electors, or Archpriests, convene back in Balph before they can Elect a successor. Therefore, Grand Master Soton and the Arch-Butcher Roxthar were recalled to Balph. Without its head, the Host is stuck in place, while Lysandros and Phidestros argue over who does what and goes where. It won't be settled until Soton returns."
Tortha rubbed his hands together. "That's very good news, indeed!"
"Yes, but this false summer will not last for long. It will provide us with about a moon's respite, then Soton will be back and the Grand Host will follow us into Ulthor. We can't afford to be here when they arrive. I mean to be long gone before they ever leave Hostigos Town."
"But how? Only Theovacar has the ships necessary to move your army and your subjects-and even the Grefftscharr Navy would be overtaxed, if there are more refugees in camp than when I left, for Wodan's sake!"
"You're right and they're still pouring into Ulthor. We need a new solution. I've been talking with Ambassador Dykar from Nythros City States and he tells me that maybe we can cut a deal with the Nythrosi. It appears they are in a major trade war with Thagnor and they would like Our help in settling this dispute."
Tortha shook his head. "The Nythrosi merchants are well-known for shaving the truth off their promises, they will deliver but only if their hands are tied to the captain's chair and a knife is held to their throats!"
"That is what Prince Kestophes told me. Only he was more diplomatic." Kalvan paused to laugh. "I know better than to trust any of these ambassadors and emissaries. They are all aware of our great army, our horde of refugees and our situation with Styphon's House; they would all like nothing better than if we vanished in the morning mist."